CHAPTER III. 



NDER the kind treatment of Mrs. Shane 

 Dobbin had improved rapidly, and was able 

 to be turned out in the pasture ; but he was 

 still stiff in the joints and short in his wind. 

 Shane had succeeded in getting a man from the village 

 to come with his team and work a few days, but he 

 was far behind his neighbors in getting his corn planted. 

 This soured his temper more than anything else, for he 

 was always ahead of his neighbors in his work, and he 

 blamed it all to " his everlastin' bad luck.'* 



From this time on he hardly gave his horses time to 

 eat and sleep, and they were worked down almost to 

 skin and bone. Dick's temper had not improved any, 

 and he bore the marks of the whip frequently; for 

 Shane said the only way to control a horse was to make 

 him fear you. 



About this time it became known about the farm 

 that Dobbin had called a meeting of all the animals on 

 the farm to take some measures for the amelioration of 

 their condition. This meeting was to be held on the 

 next Sunday, as that was the only day when the horses 

 could get off. 



Now, the animals did not know exactly what was to 

 l)e done at the meeting ; but they had great confidence 



